1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of caps having visors and, more particularly, to a baseball-style cap having a flexible yet shape-sustaining visor.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a baseball style cap 1 generally includes a crown main body 2, and a visor portion 3 that is secured to the forward edge of the crown and extends outwardly therefrom to provide protection from sunlight or rain. Such caps are widely used by persons of both sexes and all ages.
The process of manufacturing a conventional baseball-style cap, such as that shown in FIG. 1, is illustrated in FIGS. 2a-2d and 3. As shown in FIG. 2a, an upper fabric material 4 and a lower fabric material 5 are sewn along their outer circumferences to form the outer portion of the visor. The visor outer portion is turned inside-out and, as shown in FIG. 2b, a stiffening insert 7 made of hard material is inserted in the interior thereof between the upper fabric 4 and the lower fabric 5. The stiffening insert, which may be made of diverse materials such as cardboard and plastics, supports the outer portion so that the visor will not collapse.
As shown in FIG. 2c, the stiffening insert 7 is sewn with the upper and lower fabrics, including along a back line 9, so that the stiffening insert is held securely with the outer fabric materials. The resulting visor 3 is then connected with the crown main body 2, FIG. 2d, to a form a finished cap.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the process of manufacturing a conventional cap, the cross sectional structure taken along line Axe2x80x94A in the visor of FIG. 2c is composed of the upper fabric material 4, the stiffening insert 7, and the lower fabric material 5.
It is necessary to insert the stiffening insert into the visor in order to reinforce the visor so that it can act to protect the wearer from sunlight. With conventional caps, the stiffening insert is not resilient such that, once bent or folded, the visor cannot be restored to its original shape. Therefore, the cap cannot be folded and placed into the wearer""s coat or trouser pocket when not in use, because to do so would permanently deform the visor. As a result, the wearer is required to carry the cap in hand if he or she does not have a suitable bag or other carrying case within which to place the cap when it is not being worn. This is inconvenient and also increases the likelihood that the wearer, in setting the cap down to do something else, will leave the cap unintentionally.
Alternatively, caps having inserts made of flexible fabric materials have been used. These are easy to carry but, because the exterior of the visor has very little supporting capability, the visor becomes slack following laundering, rendering the flexible insert ineffective.
Therefore, a need exists for a cap having a flexible visor, allowing the cap to be conveniently carried when not being worn, which is also sufficiently stiff to provide desired protection from the elements.
In view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap structure that can support a visor and which is also convenient to carry when not being worn.
Another object of the present invention is a cap having a pliable visor which can be manipulated for effective use by individuals for a variety of outdoor purposes.
A further object of the invention is a cap having a visor that can be repeatedly deformed and returned to its original shape in accordance with various needs.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention is directed to a cap having a pliable visor which includes an upper covering portion, a lower covering portion, and a resilient stiffener placed therebetween. The cap further includes a piped covering portion that is located between the upper and lower covering portions, adjacent an outer periphery of such upper and lower portions, into which a deformable material is inserted.